Luke Plunkett

You know why the PlayStation took off in the mid-90s? Because it was cool. And nothing on the PlayStation was cooler than WipeOut.

The futuristic racing series, created by Psygnosis, was fast and fun, but what really helps the franchise stand out is its unique approach to visual design. Rather than going cartoony or realistic, Psygnosis instead enlisted the help of British design firm The Designer's Republic, who helped give the 1995 game (and by extension many subsequent games, like Wipeout 3, where most of this art comes from) a look and style so iconic and futuristic that even the WipeOut games of today still use it. And still look like they come from the future.

In the gallery above, you'll find a collection of the Japanese pop culture-infused imagery The Designer's Republic conjured for the series, its teams and corporations. Sadly, the studio is no more.